Road-grading machine



June `8 1926.

cfA. MENITzl-:R

ROAD GRADING MACHINE Fi1ed`Jan. 7, 192e 4 SheNes-Sheet 1 Clarence /Me/izfzr June 8 1926.

- c. A. MENTZER ROAD GRADING MACHINE Filed Jan. '7, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 In Veni-dr: Clarence f( Mentzeff Bg MW June 8 1926.

` c. A. M ENTZER ROAD GRADING MACBINE Filed Jan. "z, 192e 4 sheets-sheet s In ven. for:

Clarencev Menzzer June 8 1926. 1,587,667 Y c. A. MENTZER ROAD GRADING MACHINE Filed Jan. '7, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 In Ven for.

Clarence Menzer for/'Legs Patented June 8, 1926.

UNITED stares assise? Preis? @FWB CLARENCE A. MENTZIER, OF MNNEAFOLIS,V MNNESOTA, ASSGNR TO STOCKLAND ROAD MACHINERY COMPANY, OF MINNEAPOLS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION.

ROAD-GRAD1NG MACHINE.

Application filed January My invention relates to road ygrading inaclnnes, and an obJect 1s to provide a counter balancing device 1n combination with the -means forraising and lowering the scraper` blade so that the weight of the latter and parts which raise .and lower therewith, will be substantially counterbalanced for all vertical positions'ofthe scraper blade whereby manipulation thereof may be very easily performed by the operator.

Tlie full objects. and advantages of my invention willappear inconnection with the detailed description thereof, and the novel features of my Vinventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustratev .a practical embodiment of my invention,- n

Fig. lis a plan view of a standard reversible road grading machine embodying the principles of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale in vertical .section on the line 2*2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is av view in horizontal section on the line 8--3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing lsome of the Vparts in a differentfposition. Fig.`5 'is aview in vertical sec`- tionon the line 5-45- of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a` side elevational view of the rear portion of the machine. Fig.` 7 is a view on an enlarged scale in section on the lin-e 7-T of Fig.A 2. Fig. 8 isa view on an enlarged scale in section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2. o

'The machine includes a front axle 1() upon which wheels 12 are mounted and. a rear axle 14 upon which wheels 16 are mounted. A platform 18 is supported by the rear axle.

Upwardly inclined supports 2O extend for-` wardly 'from the platform 18 and connect it to the rear ends of longitudinal frame members 22 and 24 which .are integrally united at their front ends slightly ahead of the front axle 10. A cross bar 26 positioned above the axle connects the members 22 an-d 24. A scraper" blade 28 is carried by a pair of arms 30 to diametrically opposite projections 82'extending out from a ringlik-e member 34 having a downwardly extending flange 36 around its periphery as shown in Fig. 2. The ringlike member 34 is rotatably supported due to the fact that its inner margin tits into recesses of ears 38 carried by angle members 40-to which are secured the lrear ends of a pair of bars 42 which converge which are secured.'

Serial No. 79,743.

toward the front and are secured to a short draw bar 44 which is pivotally connected with the Vcross bar 26 at its middle. The scraper bladev is, therefore, drawn from the cross bar 26 at the front of the machine and it may be swung in a horizontal plane so as to vary its inclination in such plane by rotating the ring member 34 in customary manner. As will be understood, the lower face of the ring` 84 has an annular rack 46 which is engaged in the usual manner for operation by a shaft 48 extending rearwardf ly to a position in reach of the operator, this shaft lying underneath a shaft 50 which extends forwardly and has operative connections with the front axle for steering purposes. The ring 34 is provided on its inner margin with a circle of notches 52, different ones of which may be engaged in th-e usual manner by va locking bolt according `to the angular position of the scraper blade and which bolt may be withdrawn from its locking engagement by .a rod 54 extending rearwardly to a position in reach of the operator. Toward their rear ends thebars 42 are connected by a cross bar 56 and have brackets 58, extending outwardly. Links 6() are pivotally attached at their lower/ends to the outer ends of the brackets 58 and at their upper ends are pivotedv to crank arms 62 formed at the forward ends of shafts 64 mounted in 4bearings formed in the upper ends of standards extending up from the frame members 2.2 and 24. The rear end portions of the shafts v64 extend through bearings 68 into worm gear casing 7() carried by standards 72 extending up from the supports 20. The standards 72` are reinforced by a plate 74 secured thereto and also secured to the upper ends of the supports ,20. The shafts 64 are opera-ted by hand wheels 7 6 secured to shafts 7 8 whose innerv ends are connected to the rear ends of the shafts 64 by worm gears contained in the `casings 70. It is obvious that the worm gears act in the usual way as locks to hold the scraper blade in the vertical position in which it is set by turning the wheels 76 in one direction or the other according to the vertical position desired for the scraper blade. The parts thus far described are or may be of well known construction. lt is obviousr that with such construction a considerable effort on the part of the operator is required to lift the scraper blade. 1t is also obvious that if an ordinary spring arrangement were employed which would counterbalance the weight of the scraper blade when in raised position, then a considera-ble elfort would be requir-ed to depress the scraper blade to lower position against the tension of the springs and there would always be a tendency for the springs to lift the scraper blade into its highest position. The construction now to be described provides for count-er-balancing the scraper blade regardless of its vertical position. Two springs are secured at their forward ends to nut members 82 in the manner best shown in Fig. 2. Screw threaded rods 84 are turned into the nut members 82 and secured in adjusted position by loch nuts 86. The forward ends of the rods 84 have heads 88 which are held by bracket members secured to the cross bar 26. The rear ends of the springs 80 are secured to nut members 92 which are connected by'coupling members 94 with chains 96 whose rear ends are secured by bolts 97 to sheaves 98 having annular grooves 99 to receive the chains. Curved arms 100 .are secured to and preferably cast integrally with one of the sides of each of the .sheaves 98. The arms 100 in the embodiment shown extend for substantially a semicircumference and have chainreceiving grooves 101. These arms as will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 4 have their inner ends determined by the radius of thev sheaves and the arms are made on a larger curve than the sheaves and are outwardly and gradually deflected therefrom so that their outer ends are located quite an appreciable distance from the periphery of the sheaves. Each combined sheave and arm is mounted on a shaft 102, the ends of which are mounted in bearings 104 secured to the upper sides of the frame members 22 and 24. The upper ends of chains 106 are secured to the outer ends of the arms 100 by bolts 108 and the lower ends of these chains are attached to bolts 110 which connect the ends of two spaced bars 112 and 114 which in eiiect constitute a compound bar. Referring again to the angle members 40 it will b-e seen that they have lianges 116 which are connected by a cross bar 118 secured by bolts 120 which pass through the end portions of the bar 118 and also pass through outturned end ianges 122 of a bar 124 which is bent twice at right angles on each side of its middle. The spaced bars 114 and 116 are mounted at their middle on a bolt 126 which passes through the middle of the bars 118 and 124.

he operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood in connection with the foregoing description. W'hen the hand wheels 7 6 are turned to cause the crank arms 62 to extend upwardly as shown in Fig. 6, the scraper blade will be brought into raised position. At this time, the contraction of the springs 80 will have caused the sheaves 98 to rotate and bring the chains 96 and 106 into the position shown in Fig. 2 whereby the leverage or turning moment exerted by the arms 100 and the chains 106 due to the weight of the parts suspended therefrom is practically counteracted. When the handwheels 'l' 6 are turned in a direction to lower the scraper blade,

the springs 80 will be gradually stretched and the leverage or turning moment esrerted by the arms 100 and chains 10b on the sheaves 98 will gradually increase due to the fact that the arms 100 are moved from one side of the shaft 102, over the same and then extend outwardly at the other side thereof as shown in Fig. 4. This increasing level'- age in one direction compensates for the increasing tension exerted in the other direction by the springs so that substantially constant counterbalancing isproduced regardless of the vertical position 'of the scraper blade. In other words, the weight of the scraper blade and parts which raise and lower therewith, will be neutralized for all vertical positions of the scraper blade. The strength of the springs and the construction of the curved arms are co-related that this result accomplished. Proper adjustment of the springs may be readily made by means of the screw rods 84 and lock nuts 86. It is obvious that with this construction, very little eort is required on the part of the operator to raise and lower the scraper blade since the worm gearing which produces this result may be very easily turned.

I claim: v

1. In a road grading` machin-e, the combination of a scraper support, means for raising and lowering said support, a shaft carried by the frame of the machine, a sheave mounted on said shaft, a curved arm eccentrically mounted with relation to said shaft for turning` movement in unison with said sheave, a flexible member secured at one end to said support and secured at the other end to the outer end of said arm for winding movement on the latter, a flexible member secured to said sheave for winding movement thereon reversely to the winding movement of said first flexible member, and a spring attached to the outer end of said seeond iexible member.

2. In a road grading` machine, the combination of a scraper support, means for raising and lowering said support, a shaft carried by the frame of the machine, a combined sheave and arm mounted on said shaft, said arm being curved and disposed eceentrically with relation to said shaft, a flexible member secured at one end to said support and secured at the other end to the outer end of said arm for winding movement on the CII latter, a flexible member secured to said sheave for Winding movement thereon, reversely to the Winding movement of said first flexible member, and a spring attached to the outer end of said second flexible membor.

3. In a road grading machine, the combr nation of a scraper support, means for raising and lowering said support, a shaft car ried by the frame of the machine, a sheave mounted on said shaft, a curved arm eccentrically mounted with relation to said shaft for turning movement in unison With said sheave, a flexible member secured at one end to said support and secured at the other end to the outer end of said arm for Winding movement on the latter, a flexible member secured to said sheave for Winding movement thereon reversely to the Winding movement of said first flexible member, a coiled spring attached at one end to the outer end of said second flexible member, a nut member to which the other end of said spring is attached, and a screw threaded rod held at one end and threaded through said nut member.

Ll. In a road grading machine, the combination of a scraper support, means for raising and lowering said support, a shaft carried by the frame of the machine, a combined sheave and arm mounted on said shaft, said arm being curved and disposed eccentrically with relation to said shaft, Said sheave and arm having grooves in their peripheries, a bolt secured to the outer end of said arm, a flexible member connecting said support and bolt and arranged to have a Winding movement in the groove of said arm, a bolt secured to said sheave substantially 180O from said first bolt, a flexible member secured to said second bolt and arranged to have winding movement in the groove of said sheave reversely to the Winding movement of said first fiexible member,

and a spring attached to the outer end of said second flexible member.

5. In a road grading machine, the combination of a scraper support, means for rais ing and lowering said support, a transverse shaft carried by the frame of the machine, a pair of combined sheaves and arms mounted on said shaft, said arms being curved and disposed eccentrically with relation toI said shaft, a cross bar pvoted at its center on said support, flexible connections between the ends of said cross bar and the outer ends of said arms and arranged to have a winding movement on the latter', flexible members secured to said sheaves for Winding movement' thereon reversely to the Winding movement of said Hexible connections, and springs attached to the outer ends of said iiexible member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CLARENCE A. MENTZER. 

